Signs of Cancer You Shouldn't Ignore
/When the War on Cancer was declared in the early 1970s, the average five-year relative survival rate for all cancers was only 50 percent. Due to advances in research over these last decades, mostly funded by the National Institute of Health and National Cancer Institute, we've seen an increase in the five-year survival rate now being 68%. However, there are a number of cancers that still fall below 50 percent survival. These cancers are considered the "deadliest," cancers.
There are many sub‐types of cancers that fall under this definition, of course. However, it is nearly half of the 589,430 cancer deaths in 2015 are estimated to be caused by eight specific cancers:
- Pancreas: 7%
- Liver: 17%
- Lung: 17%
- Esophagus: 18%
- Stomach: 28%
- Myeloma: 47%
- Brain: 35%
- Ovary: 45%
Potential Signs of Cancer
1. Chronic Fatigue: Feeling tired at work all the time, don't really want to do much? Extreme fatigue and weakness that cannot be cured by getting a good night's sleep could be a sign of anemia caused by loss of red blood cells from leukemia, colon or stomach cancer.
2. Unusual Weight Loss or Gain: Losing weight unexpectedly or without trying? If you haven't altered your daily routine, diet or workout, this could be a sign of cancer. As your body tried to fight the disease naturally, it can produce what's called cytokines which decrease appetite.
3. Unusual shortness of breath: What you don't have enough oxygen in the blood you will have that feeling of shortness of breath. Your lungs will try to compensate by making you breathe more.
4. Blood in your urine or stool is a symptom you should always get checked out. This could be a sign of rectal or colon cancer.
5. Discoloration of skin or moles: Any wart, mole or freckle that changes color, size or shape or loses its sharp border needs your doctor's attention right away.